Safety concerns over nano particles in some sunscreens

Updated
March 05, 2013 09:24:00

Sunscreens and cosmetics containing potentially harmful nanoparticles that were identified five years ago, are still readily available in Australia. New tests obtained by the ABC show that a swag of sunscreen and cosmetic products still contain the material, among them a children's sunblock. The TGA says there's no need for the ingredient to be banned or labelled, because there's no proof the material penetrates human skin.

TIM PALMER: Sunscreens and cosmetics containing potentially harmful nanoparticles that were identified five years ago are still readily available in Australia.

In 2008, the nanoparticles came to attention when they were found to be one of the main factors causing premature weathering of pre-painted steel roof sheets that had been handled by workers with sunscreen on their hands.

It has also been shown to cause deterioration of surface coatings and paints on cars and other products.

New tests obtained by the ABC show that a swag of sunscreen and cosmetic products still contain the material, among them a children's sun-block.

The sunscreen industry regulator says there's no need for the ingredient to be banned or labelled, as the weight of evidence suggests such materials in sunscreens don't penetrate human skin.

Rachel Carbonell reports.

RACHEL CARBONELL: In 2008 it was revealed that nanoparticles of anatase titanium dioxide in some sunscreens were leading to serious problems with Bluescope steel Colorbond roofing.

It raised concerns about how safe such an ingredient might be for use on human skin.

Gregory Crocetti from Friends of the Earth.

GREGORY CROCETTI: In 2010 researchers looking into anatase titanium dioxide concluded that it was capable of destroying virtually any organic matter and questioned its use in sunscreens.

So clearly anatase is a nasty ingredient in any form. Reducing anatase to nano scale particles increases its ability to generate free radicals, making a potentially dangerous ingredient even worse.

RACHEL CARBONELL: Dermatologist Robert Salmon also queried its safety as a sunscreen ingredient.

ROBERT SALMON: I was quite concerned when I heard these reports, purely and simply because when it was explained to me what the mechanisms were that were blowing away this paint coating that had a 10-year guarantee but was being partially destroyed within 10 weeks, I noted that they were exactly the same mechanisms by which these nanoparticles could also cause mutations in DNA if they got somewhere down near live cells.

RACHEL CARBONELL: Sunscreens have undergone a technological revolution in recent years. In order to make them transparent, the key metal oxide ingredients can now be manufactured into nanomaterials, which are hundreds of times smaller than a cell.

Some scientists, environment and consumer groups are worried about the lack of evidence on whether or not they're safe.

Dr Salmon says he has doubts about metal oxide nanomaterials in sunscreens generally, but that anatase titanium dioxide is the most reactive of them all.

ROBERT SALMON: I think what we need to look at under these circumstances is the precautionary principle. If we want to introduce new technology into sun blocks, the people that are attempting to do that, or the manufacturers, need to prove that they don't cause problems.

I would want the labelling such that the people knew whether there were nanoparticles in these preparations or not so that the consumers could make some sort of informed choice by themselves.

RACHEL CARBONELL: And, he says, anatase titanium dioxide is usually in nanomaterial form in sunscreens.

ROBERT SALMON: I think most of the anatase that is actually in sunscreen materials is nano.

RACHEL CARBONELL: Curious to know what has changed since 2008, Friends of the Earth commissioned the National Measurement Institute to test eight sunscreen and cosmetic products from Australian shelves.

Six contained anatase titanium dioxide. The results only proved the ingredient to be in nano form in one of those products - Nivea kid's sunscreen.

Dr Crocetti from Friends of the Earth says the industry regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, should follow the European Union and New Zealand and make labelling of nanoparticles compulsory, as well as safety testing.

GREGORY CROCETTI: If there's a crisis in confidence in sunscreens then the responsibility really falls on our regulator to restore the confidence. The Therapeutic Goods Administration is clearly asleep at the wheel on this issue.

We've had years - over five years of warnings from different scientists questioning the use of anatase titanium dioxide in sunscreen, particularly in nano form. So why have they taken no action?

RACHEL CARBONELL: A spokeswoman for the TGA told the ABC that Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world and sunscreen is a vital way to reduce the risk of developing skin cancer, and that the current weight of evidence suggests that nanoparticles in sunscreen don't reach living skin cells but instead remain on the surface of the skin.

A CSIRO spokeswoman said the Bluescope Steel study results can't be extrapolated and that CSIRO scientists are currently conducting further studies.

Professor of toxicology at the Australian Catholic University, Chris Winder, says further studies are critical.

CHRIS WINDER: Well this is a major policy problem. We can't just say 'Well the big sized particles are okay and therefore the small ones are as well'. This needs work.

I think that the nanoparticles may have some toxicity that we've yet to find. So I think we should be prudent and at least warn people that cosmetic products contain nanoparticles.

RACHEL CARBONELL: The Cancer Council says it would like to see more research on the safety of anatase titanium dioxide but it doesn't have health concerns about the use of nanomaterials generally in sunscreens.